Cherry Blossom Nails: Because Even Your Fingers Are Craving Spring

Much unlike many a magazine editor who recommends you buy all sorts of crap that they most likely got for free, your Jezebel staff doesn’t get jack shit (other than books, unsolicited). And that’s how it should be. But on our own time, in our personal lives, we still buy stuff. So this is Worth It, our recommendation of random things that we’ve actually spent our own money on. These are the things we buy regularly or really like, things we’d actually tell our friends about. And now we’re telling you.

Jesus, March. We get it. You like hanging on to this cold gross weather for as long as possible. You like being a dick and there’s nothing we can do to change your mind. Fine. Whatever. But guess what? You don’t have any control over our coping mechanisms. We can pretend it’s spring all we want and you can’t do anything about it. To borrow the always-appropriate words of EN VOGUE, “free your mind and the rest will follow” and I choose to free my mind from your shitty, wintery clutches.

But how can this be done? Well, you could be extreme about it and start dressing for warmer weather, but that but that does carry the slight risk of physical harm or your own discomfort because, while your jean jacket with the popped collar might make you look super cool, it won’t keep you very warm. I personally prefer to be a little more subtle with my “fuck you” to winter by expressing my allegiance to spring through fresh colored finger nail polish. Basically, a pastel nail is the real-life equivalent of a hidden Mockingjay pin— a silent yet present sign of rebellion.

Truth be told, I’m usually not one for pastels or overly flowery, feminine styles. In my wardrobe, I wear a lot of black, a lot of thrifted shirts and the occasional bold print, so it’s rare that I reach for powdery pinks, yellows and blues. On the rare occasions that I do break out the pastels, I like them to have a little bit of an edge — which is why I’m such a fan of Essie’s Go Ginza nail color. Sure, it’s a light, girlish pink, but there’s also a hint of lavender in there, which — while lavender doesn’t in and of itself scream “rock’n’roll” — makes it a little more interesting and vintage seeming. I can handle having soft pink fingernails, just so long as that soft pink color reminds me of something you would find in a little girl’s bedroom in the 1960s.

And, again, while pastel nails might not seem tough, just think about how they’ll leave winter quaking in its snow boots.

Essie Nail Polish in Go Ginza, $8 at Essie.

Worth It only features things we paid for ourselves and actually like. Don’t send us stuff. To see all previous Worth It columns, click here.